Chapter 385
Tyler gently squeezed Olivia’s cheeks. “Why should I?”
Olivia looked up at him, catching the storm of anger swirling in his eyes. She was certain his fury was because of her.
Exhausted, she met his gaze and whispered, “Why must you use me to punish Naomi, Tyler? I don’t want to be a tool.”
He released her cheeks and wrapped his arms around her.
Still struggling weakly, Olivia pleaded, “Let me go!”
But Tyler held her tighter, his breath warm against her ear as he whispered, “Don’t move.”
His deep voice seemed to seep into her very bones, freezing her in place. Her head rested on his shoulder, his body pressed against her neck, surrounding her completely.
She felt like a fragile lump nestled against his chest.
So fragile, it seemed she could dissolve into his arms at any moment. Tears slipped down her pale face like melting ice cream under his embrace.
Tyler gripped her head firmly, eyes closing as his brow furrowed. “What am I supposed to do with you?”
Olivia felt her strength drain at his words, as if she might disappear from his grasp at any second.
What was he supposed to do with her? And what was she supposed to do with him?
She was lost—completely uncertain.
“What’s going to happen between you and Naomi?” she asked softly.
Tyler tightened his grip on her shoulders, as if he wanted to pull her closer into his heart.
He knew why Ana kept her close.
Pressing his wrists lightly against her neck, he confessed, “I’m keeping my distance because I can’t fall into her trap. You’re the pawn she’s using against me, manipulating you to create chaos between Naomi and me, to sway my heart.”
His fingers tangled in her hair, his voice low and secretive by her ear.
To Tyler, it all felt like a cruel game.
“What do you expect me to do with you? Ignore everything and be with you, risking falling into her trap? Or leave Naomi and make you the scapegoat—the traitor of our agreement?”
Olivia froze. Traitor?
Tears welled in her eyes as she tried to process his words.
“That’s why I can only treat you coldly. At least then, I won’t make you the public enemy.”
More tears fell silently on her cheeks.
“Maybe I should treat you even worse, to keep you safe.”
“Do you have feelings for me, Tyler?” Olivia pressed on stubbornly.
“Do you like me even the slightest?”
She wasn’t ready to give up.
“Did you fall for me just because you feel connected to me?”
Olivia had always been humble, never daring to challenge or compete.
Amidst their tangled and complicated relationship, she accepted his rationality, just as she did her own.
Yet beneath it all, she longed for an answer—an impossible hope from someone as modest as herself.
The truth was, she understood well how fragile and uncertain their relationship truly was.
Still, she wanted clarity—a clean line between them.